Samsung Galaxy S5 Announced: Here’s What Buyers Need to Know

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is officially here with a collection of new features and a new look that is similar to the Galaxy S4, but offers a new feel for the back of the device.

Samsung defied rumors with a Galaxy S5 screen that is slightly larger at 5.1-inches and only a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The Galaxy S4 offers the same resolution, but is smaller at 5-inches.

In addition to a slightly new look there are a number of new Galaxy S5 features consumers need to know about. Here’s a quick look at the most important information from the Galaxy S5.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is official. Here’s what you need to know.

Bigger Display With Same Resolution

The Samsung Galaxy S5 offers a 1080P display that is pretty much standard on top end smartphones these days. The new display is 5.1-inches in size which is a small bump from the Galaxy S4, and still allows for a smaller device than the Galaxy Note 3.

There is no 2k display like rumors suggested, but perhaps one is waiting in a special Galaxy S5 model that will come out at a later time.

Here is the Galaxy S5.

Fingerprint Reader

One of the new Galaxy S5 features that does sneak in is a fingerprint reader built-in to the physical home button at the bottom of the larger screen. This is quickly becoming a common smartphone feature after the iPhone 5s announcement last year.

We’ll share details on how well this works later today in a Galaxy S5 hands on.

Galaxy S5 Design is Similar

Samsung stuck with a metal-like band on the outer edge and continues to offer a removable back with access to a large battery and a Micro SD card slot. The back of the Galaxy S5 is plastic with a dimpled texture. This is less glossy than the Galaxy S4 back which is a fingerprint magnet.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is slightly thicker than the Galaxy S4 at 8.1mm and heavier at 145 grams.

16MP Camera with 4K recording

The Samsung Galaxy S5 ships with a new 16MP sensor that Samsung calls, “Simple yet powerful.” It includes many modes like the Galaxy S4 and offers a high-resolution 4K video mode like the Galaxy Note 4. Samsung claims this offers faster auto focus.

Water Resistant Galaxy S5

Don’t worry about getting a little water or dust on the Galaxy S5.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is water and dustproof even with a removable back. This phone is not rugged, like some devices, but it can withstand 30 minutes underwater in up to 1 meter of water. The Galaxy S5 isn’t a device to go swimming with, but it should survive everyday life without a protective case.

Heart Rate Monitor

Samsung is focusing on fitness as well with a heart rate monitor in the back of the Galaxy S5. This is right below the camera sensor, near the flash. With this, users can monitor their pulse by pressing a finger to it for 5 to 10 seconds.

Galaxy S5 Release Date Confirmed

The Samsung Galaxy S5 release date is set for April. Samsung did not yet announce the U.S. Galaxy S5 release date but confirmed that it is available for major carriers which likely means, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless.

Galaxy S5 Specs

The Samsung Galaxy S5 runs on a 2.5GHz Quad Core processor from Qualcomm with 2GB RAM, faster WiFi that can combine with LTE for faster downloads and 16 GB and 32GB sizes with a Micro SD card slot. The Galaxy S5 comes with a 2,800mAh battery with up to 21 hours of talk time and 10 hours of web browsing.

6 Comments

larry

02/24/2014 at 1:14 pm

all i see is a huge lawsuit happening for samsung with apple and sony. a totally copyrights of the apples finger scanner and sony xperias water resistance?? thats it, all the fanbots sure will be to go get it forsure!!! i will laugh to see how many bugs this will have, at least apple fixes all iphones new and old to current updates not android only a hand picked get the kit kat junk?? also apple holds resale value!! does android?? NOPE!!! who need all the bells and whistles thats just a red flag for more issues on performance!! now i know why apple dont go over board yet apple does have its own issues too!! but always apple gets a quick fix not android!! the 5s looks the same old thing, blaaa blaaa blaaa loving my gold iphone 5s 64 gb, and still works great!!! lets compare resale value next month between the galaxy s5 and the iphone 5s?? apple will still stay on top!!

“The Galaxy S5 isn’t a device to go swimming with, but it should survive everyday life without a protective case” Actually, I don’t agree with this statement, I believe even the most rugged phones such as iPhone and Xperia Z line needs a protective case. Luckily, there are many waterproof cases available made for Galaxy S5 and I am probably going for either Otterbox Preserve or LifeBox. https://www.galaxy-s5-cases.com/galaxy-s5-waterproof-case

Again, Samsung has released its flagship model called Samsung Galaxy S5. Larger than its predecessor Samsung Galaxy S4, this GS5 has a 5.1 inches screen. One of the biggest breakthroughs for GS5 is the fingerprint scanner. Some users may think this feature is familiar to the one of Apple called Apple’s Touch ID, but actually, you can have more benefit from this feature than just unlock the phone.